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ALL ABOUT TITCHFIELD
We are a small, friendly village where you will find a couple of convenience stores, a Post Office, a Chemist, Butchers, Jewellers, Antiques Emporium, Hairdressers, Travel Agents, Estate Agents, two Churches, an historic ruin, a Village School, a vibrant Community Centre, some great Pubs and our own theatre.
So why not pay us a visit.
If you are looking to buy or rent in the area, or even a long-time resident, you'll find the site an invaluable source of information about our beautiful village.
This site has loads of useful contacts, links to relevant local websites, a short history of the village, maps, a What's On calendar and information about local services.
A brief history of Titchfield
Few English villages or small towns have as rich and varied a history as Titchfield. Important palaeolithic remains; the oldest standing piece of ecclesiastic architecture in Hampshire; the site of a famous monastic library; a handsome late medieval barn; buildings associated with our greatest dramatist; one of the earliest known canals; and the remains of one of the best known industrial developments of the eighteenth century are some of its features.
Here rested Henry V before Agincourt and Charles I before his imprisonment at Carisbrook. And in our village, in spite of the suburbanisation creeping over the hillsides to east and west, the village and its people have retained the quirky, robust individuality which once made them less than respectful tenants of their medieval landlord.
Titchfield was a thriving market village in medieval times as is shown by this extract from the Doomsday Book...
"The King holds TICEFELLE. It is a berewick, and belongs to MENESTOCHES. King Edward held it. There are 2 hides; but they have not paid geld. (There) is land for 15 ploughs. In (the) demesne (there are) but 2 oxen (animalia), and (there are) 16 villeins and 13 borders with 9 ploughs. There are 4 serfs, and a mill worth 20 shillings. The market and toll (are worth) 40 shillings."
When the Abbey was founded in 1231 for the White Canons by Peter des Roches, the Bishop of Winchester it became the central focus of the community. Fishers Hill, Segensworth Road and Bridge Street were the early access routes. Henry V stayed here n 1415 while his invasion fleet was being assembled. His son, Henry VI, was married in the Abbey to Margaret of Anjou in 1445. At the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII the Abbey passed into the possession of Sir Thomas Wriothesley, the first Earl of Southampton. He demolished most of the building and built Place House, 'a right stately home embattle.'
The Third Earl was the friend and patron of Shakespeare and it is believed, but not proved, that Shakespeare stayed in the Place House. Local legend maintains that Romeo and Juliet was performed here.
The fourth and last Earl gave shelter to Charles I on his flight to the Isle of Wight. Unfortunately the fourth Earl had no sons and on his death the estate was divided among his daughters. In 1781 Place House was bought by Peter Delme, Member of Parliament for Southampton. The house became unfashionable so his decendents had most of it dismantled and the materials used to enhance Cams Hall, the new family home in Fareham.
Titchfield News is a member of The Centre for Community Journalism
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All photography provided by Phil Burner